Increased physical activity improves sleep and mood outcomes in inactive people with insomnia: a randomized controlled trial
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Summary: While high levels of activity and exercise training have been associated with improvements in sleep quality, minimum levels of activity likely to improve sleep outcomes have not been explored. A two‐armed parallel randomized controlled trial ( N =41; 30 females) was designed to assess whether increasing physical activity to the level recommended in public health guidelines can improve sleep quality among inactive adults meeting research diagnostic criteria for insomnia. The intervention consisted of a monitored program of ≥150 min of moderate‐ to vigorous‐intensity physical activity per week, for 6 months. The principal end‐point was the Insomnia Severity Index at 6 months post‐baseline. Secondary outcomes included measures of mood, fatigue and daytime sleepiness. Activity and light exposure were monitored throughout the trial using accelerometry and actigraphy. At 6 months post‐baseline, the physical activity group showed significantly reduced insomnia symptom severity ( F 8,26 = 5.16, P = 0.03), with an average reduction of four points on the Insomnia Severity Index; and significantly reduced depression and anxiety scores ( F 6,28 = 5.61, P = 0.02; and F 6,28 = 4.41, P = 0.05, respectively). All of the changes were independent of daily light exposure. Daytime fatigue showed no significant effect of the intervention ( F 8,26 = 1.84, P = 0.18). Adherence and retention were high. Internationally recommended minimum levels of physical activity improve daytime and night‐time symptoms of chronic insomnia independent of daily light exposure levels.
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Recent randomized controlled trials have confirmed that exercise has positive effects on sleep quality, sleep onset latency, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and insomnia severity.
“Recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have confirmed that exercise has positive effects on sleep quality, sleep onset latency, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and insomnia severity (Passos et al., 2010; Reid et al., 2010; Hartescu, Morgan & Stevinson, 2015).”
From Exercise can improve sleep quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2018) · cites this paper as Hartescu, Morgan & Stevinson, 2015
Only four of the nine included trials examined adverse effects.
“First, only four of the nine included trials examined adverse effects (Reid et al., 2010; Afonso et al., 2012; Hartescu, Morgan & Stevinson, 2015).”
From Exercise can improve sleep quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2018) · cites this paper as Hartescu, Morgan & Stevinson, 2015
One trial described one adverse event, a mild sprained ankle, in the intervention group.
“One trial described one adverse event, a mild sprained ankle, in the intervention group (Hartescu, Morgan & Stevinson, 2015).”
From Exercise can improve sleep quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2018) · cites this paper as Hartescu, Morgan & Stevinson, 2015
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- Authors
- Hartescu, I., Morgan, K., & Stevinson, C. D.
- Affiliations
- Loughborough University (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Hartescu, Iuliana
- Venue
- Journal of Sleep Research
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2015-04-21
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 526-534
- ISSN
- 0962-1105 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2869
- OpenAlex
- W2074300553
- Cited by
- 273
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 24 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 21.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- dspace.lboro.ac.uk
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Sleep Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Loughborough University Institutional Repository (Loughborough University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Loughborough University Research Repository (Loughborough University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- Loughborough University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Keywords
- physical activity, insomnia, sleep quality, mood, depression, anxiety, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, light exposure, exercise training, sedentary adults, Insomnia Severity Index, accelerometry, actigraphy
- MeSH terms
- Affect, Anxiety, Chronic Disease, Depression, Fatigue, Female, Humans, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Light, Male, Middle Aged, Sleep, Sleep Stages, Exercise, Actigraphy, Sedentary Behavior
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